BALANCING LIFE’S ISSUES INC. You Can Be Smoke Free!

"Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times.” Mark Twain

Objectives Understand the facts about the dangers of smoking and the benefits of stopping Raise awareness about your body’s response to being a non smoker Develop a personal action plan Manage weight gain and other possible consequences to quitting

Scary Statistics Tobacco use accounts for 30% of all cancer related deaths Smoking causes 87% of all lung cancer deaths COPD is the 4 th leading cause of death in the U.S. Tobacco causes nearly 1 in 5 deaths Lives are shorten by more than thirteen years due to smoking Cigarette-ignited fires are the leading cause of home fire deaths in the United States, killing 700 to 900 people annually.

Reassuring Facts 20 minutes after quitting Your heart rate and blood pressure drop. 12 hours after quitting The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal. 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.

Reassuring Facts (cont.) 1 to 9 months after quitting Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection. 1 year after quitting The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.

More Reassuring Facts 5 years after quitting Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker 5 to 15 years after quitting. 10 years after quitting The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a person who is still smoking. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decreases. 15 years after quitting The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker's.

What does it feel like to quit? Withdrawal symptoms can include any of the following: dizziness (which may only last 1 to 2 days after quitting) depression feelings of frustration, impatience, and anger anxiety irritability sleep disturbances, including having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and having bad dreams or even nightmares trouble concentrating

What if feels like to quit (cont.) restlessness or boredom headaches tiredness increased appetite weight gain constipation and gas cough, dry mouth, sore throat, and nasal drip chest tightness

Positive Effects on Simple Daily Pleasures Heighten sense of taste You can smell things again – flowers, fresh cut grass, ocean breezes. Personal hygiene gets a boost: no more smelly clothes, hair or skin. Teeth and nails stop yellowing Breathing improves so that you can do ordinary activities Extra cash! 4-5 dollars a pack adds up fast! Cleaner home, cleaner car

Personal Action Plan Preparing to Become a Non-Smoker Pick a target start date (Great American Smoke is November 18, 2010 or your birthday) Tell everyone you know so you can garner support Get rid of all smoking reminders/triggers (matchbook collections, favorite lighters, etc.) Keep a list of times/settings/people who trigger an urge so you can avoid them Get a complete physical and a dental check up Clean your house/car/office Brainstorm list of things to do instead of smoking Reflect on past successes and failures

Act Like a Non-smoker Practice healthy stress management techniques Swap the unhealthy habit of smoking for a healthy one like walking Keep your mouth busy with gum, water, healthy snacks Avoid other smokers and smoking areas Remind yourself with words and visuals that you are a nonsmoker Reach out for support when you need it

MANAGING WEIGHT GAIN Practice healthy eating habits: portion control, low fat choices, plenty of water Incorporate more fitness into your daily routine Stay away from the naysayers who doubt your success! Cravings pass – give yourself some time to think before you act Reward yourself with non food treats Distract yourself: take a shower, drink a cup of tea Develop new hobbies and interest that don’t remind you of smoking

BE A NON-SMOKER Acknowledge your hard work and how far you have come Join or start a support group in | your community or at work Continue your new healthy habits: eating right, exercise, stress management Focus on the positives and all that you have GAINED from losing the smoking habit Remind yourself how good you feel since quitting!! Review your Personal Action Plan

Resources Toll-free number: Web site: American Heart Association Toll-free number: AHA-USA-1 ( ) Web site: American Lung Association Toll-free number: LUNG-USA ( ) Web site: Tobacco cessation program "Freedom from Smoking Online" at National Cancer Institute Cancer Information Service Toll-free number: CANCER ( ) for cancer information Toll-free smoking cessation/tobacco line: Web site: Smoking cessation Web site: Nicotine Anonymous Toll-free number: Web site: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Toll-free number: CDC-INFO ( ) Web site: Tobacco information at

BALANCING LIFE’S ISSUES INC. You Can Be Smoke Free!